90 Percent of Players Want Grass, And George Kittle Says NFL Owners Don't Give A S--t

Alright, 12s, you know we're always buzzing about the Seahawks, even in the "offseason," but a bombshell just dropped that’s got everyone talking about player safety and what our guys are playing on. The World Cup is out here making NFL owners look straight up ridiculous. George Kittle, that dude from down south, just went OFF, basically saying the league could give our players a safer field year-round if they actually cared. This isn't just about him, it's about every single player, including our own Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed, who grind it out on that artificial turf at Lumen Field.

The Turf Truth Bomb From Kittle

So, here's the deal: FIFA, the global soccer big wigs, says World Cup games *have* to be played on grass. What did NFL stadiums like MetLife and SoFi do, places that normally use artificial turf? They swapped it out, put down temporary grass fields, no sweat. Players noticed, big time. Kittle, speaking on *Pardon My Take*, didn't hold back. He said, and I quote, "If you can put grass in MetLife and in SoFi, I think you could do that year-round if you really gave a s--t." Boom. Mic drop. He's not wrong. Our guys are watching these perfectly manicured pitches and wondering why they're sliding around on plastic when it's so obviously possible to have the real thing. Kittle estimates that if you polled every player, a staggering "90 percent would [say] they

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would prefer a grass field," with only 10 percent not caring. That's an overwhelming number, people. So, the question isn't *if* it's possible, it's "why don't we do it?"

It's All About The Benjamins, Right?

Kittle went on to basically call out the financial side of things. He said putting grass on all fields would be a "relatively inexpensive change." He pointed out that owners have "a couple extra million dollars, which we know they all have," to make this happen. A "couple extra million" for player safety and preference? You'd think that would be a no-brainer, especially when you think about the beatings these guys take week in and week out. When Sam Darnold is slinging it to Cooper Kupp or those electric young receivers like Smith-Njigba are making cuts, every single step matters. The impact on players' bodies, their long-term health, it all adds up. And for the league to show they *can* do it, then just... choose not to? That's what Kittle's getting at, and it's a conversation that needs to be front and center as we look toward the upcoming season. This isn't just some random rant. This is a top-tier player, speaking for the overwhelming majority of his peers, calling out the league on something demonstrably possible and beneficial. As we start getting ready for Mike Macdonald's first full season leading our Seahawks, this issue isn't going away. It's time for the NFL to listen to its players and make the obvious, safer choice. Let's keep the pressure on, Seattle.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.